Modern semiconductor devices may utilize intricate layouts involving a variety of circuit components to provide a wide array of functionality. To produce these layouts, circuit design files are generally created which describe the functionality to be included in the semiconductor device in what is typically referred to as a “tape-in” process. These circuit design files are then processed using executable circuit design tools to form a physical layout that is suitable to form a physical mask in what is typically referred to as a “tape-out” process.
The executable tools that are utilized to perform the “tape-out” process, however, are typically executed in isolation and therefore have limited interaction with other executable tools utilized during the process. Additionally, the resources used by the tools may be quite significant, thereby increasing the complexity when coordinating the execution of these tools. Further, these tools traditionally provide limited feedback during execution and therefore limit identification of problems that may arise during execution of the tools.